Yard Sale Signs

by Todd Gunderson

It’s yard sale time in Tennessee. Already I’ve seen many signs posted for a good yard sale. But I have a question for you. Have you chased down the address of a yard sale that was over days before? I have! How rude is it to leave a yard sale sign posted after the sale is over? I say it is very discourteous, not to mention frustrating. I’ve been on the losing end of that adventure a number times.

Several months ago, on a trip to my home town, I decided to knock on the door of an address posted on an old yard sale sign. A woman came to the door. I kindly stated that I was there for the yard sale. She looked at me funny and laughed as if I had made a mistake. “You have a sign posted on the corner. It’s nailed to the utility pole,” I informed. She looked apathetically at me and shrugged her shoulders. “That was over last week, sorry.” She closed the door rather abruptly. I left feeling a bit nerved even though I knew the sign was old. I only wanted to remind her it was still there. At the least, I would have expected a sincere apology and a statement about removing it, but I did not get that. She didn’t care.

I am still annoyed when I see old yard sale signs standing weeks after the sale is over. It is also littering as these signs turn to mush after a few good rains or are run over with lawn mowers and such. I shared this story with a friend. He lightheartedly suggested I make five good signs with the words “Indoor sale! Come in the basement door.” He wanted me to post them with the woman’s address. I did not do that, but it seemed fitting. I’ll bet she would’ve removed them quickly, and I’ll bet she would’ve learned a lesson, or would she have? On some corners, I see many forgotten signs nailed to wooden utility posts, and it looks awful. What a mess. Old tape and nails cover some of the poles. A lineman, in many cases, must remove them, for the nails and signs are dangerous when having to climb to repair utilities.

Of course, there’s a reason I told this story. It occurred to me that we have all advertised our failings at one time or another. The places we go and the things we do are banners in the wind. I certainly don’t want to air my dirty laundry, so I work hard taking the signs of past mistakes down. Perhaps, this woman didn’t realize her lack of effort advertised her shortcomings for all to see. How many people thought unkind things about her as they journeyed to be fooled? As a Christian, I want to post new and relevant signs that point to a wonderful place where God resides. I’m so glad God helps me write new ones. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, God says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

About The Author

Todd R. Gunderson is a teacher, author, and woodworker who lives and works in Cleveland, TN. He has been teaching for 25 years for Bradley County Schools. He earned his teaching degree at Lee University and a Master of Science in Education from Arkansas State University. Todd lives the country life with his wife, Laura, 4 children, 4 cats, and 2 dogs. You can see his books and woodworking projects at ToddRGunderson.com.